Little Bits and Little Pieces
by Chibimono Akuno
Summary: A collection of unrelated drabbles, mostly ZoLu shounen ai or yaoi, but a few genfics and some other pairings tossed in. Check each chapter for individual ratings, warnings, and author's notes.
1. Fresh Kiss : ZoLu, shounen ai

**Drabble/One Piece Fresh Kiss**

**Title:** Fresh Kiss  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** ZoLu  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count:** 174  
**Warnings:** Garlic breath?  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending. Oda eats souls for breakfast. He had mine months ago with dead pig and chicken babehs. D:  
**A/N:** For **yasukolatexcat**. I'm not sure where this came from, but I do believe this has been caused by lack of sleep. I can only hope that you enjoy this and not think that I suck as much as... I actually do. . ;;;

**Fresh Kiss**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Dinner, as always, was a hectic affair. There was laughing and arguing and Luffy stuffing himself full. Plenty of rum was passed around, as the captain had deemed the night a party, though he gave no reason for a special event.

Sanji fawned over the women as they chatted, Usopp and Chopper sang as they line danced merrily, and Luffy laughed, his full belly jiggling with mirth, as he tried to pull a resisting Zoro in for a kiss.

"Gah! Garlic breath!" Zoro growled in protest, attempting to shove off his rolly-polly captain.

When Zoro broke free and made it for the door, Luffy followed, and the whole party moved from the galley to the deck. A distraction by way of dessert grabbed Luffy's attention and allowed the swordsman to escape for the time being.

It was not until much later, after Luffy brushed his teeth, that he got the kiss he wanted. Zoro found him in the bathroom and pined him to the wall, licking and tasting the mint on Luffy's tongue.

_- owari -_


	2. Grey : ZoLu, shounen ai

**Title:** Grey  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** ZoLu  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 187  
**Warnings:** None?  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending.  
**A/N:** For **101kisses** theme #27: _Silver_. I was just thinking about Zoro and Luffy as old men. XD I don't think they'll ever change.

**Grey**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Luffy was laughing again. It was a hoarse sound compared to what it used to be so long ago, but it was still full of merth and life.

"What?" Zoro growled, though there was more affection than edge in the bite.

"Zoro still looks funny with grey hair," Luffy snickered.

The swordsman rolled his eyes. "As if yours isn't grey, too."

"But Zoro looks funny! You look like... Smokey! Remember that Smokey-_ossan_?"

"Yeah, I remember Smoker, and no, I don-"

"Zoro doesn't have cigars, but the grey... It's like him."

"You know, let's not talk about _my_ grey hair," Zoro countered. "Let's talk about yours. And how you always hide it with that damn straw hat."

Zoro yanked is captain towards him and snatched the infamous straw hat off the man's head. Luffy only laughed and leaned into Zoro, wrapping his arms around him.

"I wish Shanks had taken the damn thing back sometimes," Zoro grumped, running his fingers through dark hair streaked with silver.

"Why?" Luffy smiled up at Zoro.

"Because it gets in the way," Zoro smiled before kissing the top of his head.

_- owari -  
_


	3. Hammer : Luffycentric

**Title:** Hammer  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** None. Luffy-centric.  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 273  
**Warnings:** None?  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending.  
**A/N:** For the **onepieceyaoi100** comm's topic: _Myths_. I sometimes wonder what makes those that taste the Akuma no Mi a hammer.

**Hammer**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Once, Luffy stared at the lapping waves along the edge of the town's port. He was quite frustrated by his newly acquired ability of rubber and his equally acquired disability to sink like a hammer in sea water. He frowned unhappily at his rippling reflection and even stuck out tongue his at it.

His curiosity was held, however, when his image changed on the water's flowing surface. His reflection was no longer his own, but that of a girl's. He reached downward, his fingers skimming the sea to find the source of this new face looking at him.

The girl's face became wild and her hand caught his. Then down he went, into the water and toward the ocean floor. Her hand was on his chest, forcing him down. He could not breathe, could not move, and only sunk further underneath her. And he watched her angry face as he lost himself to the sea, not understanding why...? Why did she hate him so?

He was lucky that Ace had seen him tumble in.

-----

_Oceanids_, the sailors called them. _Spirits of the Ocean_. They had been known to help many sailors during storms. But to those who have taken the first bite of the _Akuma no Mi_, they were the reason you became a hammer.

They were spirits, beings beyond human, and they refuse to accept a mere human that gained powers equal to them. And so they sink them, using their control of the Sea to tap into the godly power that was stolen with one bite into the Devil's Fruit.

The Ocean, Luffy learned in his travels, is a jealous creature.

_ owari _


	4. Hard Lesson Learned : LuUsoZo nakamaship

**Title:** Hard Lesson Learned  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** Luffy+Usopp+Zoro  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count:** 685  
**Warnings:** Angsty. Spoilers for Water 7 and Enies Lobby.   
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending. I sometimes wish I was Oda, though... so I can _really_ play with them.  
**A/N:** Inspired by Chapter 427. How my brain would like to see the next few chapters to come.

**Hard Lesson Learned**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Sanji had disappeared in battle to show up again in tower, having found a way over to collect his battered captain. With the bridge down, it took the new-and-improved _Usopp AAAaaaAAAaaaAAH!!!_ to get them back, while under heavy fire from the Marines. Once across and into more of harm's way, Zoro's solid form carefully took up Luffy's already heavily sleeping body in the run for _Rocket Man_. Kokoro-san had the severely damaged train moving, sending it out into the water and out from under the warships' grasps. But with the amount of injuries and no supplies, they could not stay on the open sea for long.

Chopper, with the feeling and movement back in his limbs, went to work stabilizing his patients. Not much could be done for Luffy at the time being other than a good bandaging and some pain medication. But he was breathing, his heart was beating, he was still alive. Zoro still held onto him, cradling him, as there was no place comfortable to keep him as _Rocket Man_ charged on.

Usopp hovered in the corner with his aches and pains. Chopper had cried and fretted over him. Why fight with those injuries? Nothing had healed since the p-previous f-f-fight! The sniper missed being under the little doctor's care.

It was from his corner that Usopp watched his former captain. Luffy drifted in and out of consciousness, and upon each awakening, he was quietly assured by the swordsman that they were all safe. It took the marksman by surprise when Zoro softly called for him.

One eye swollen closed, and the other not much better, Luffy peered up at Usopp, speaking through broken lips with equally broken breaths.

"Why...re...here...?"

"I told you, didn't I? I came to save Robin. She's my- _was_ my _nakama_, too. Besides, she didn't... _know_." He left _what happened with _Merry _and us_ unsaid, though it hung heavy between them.

"'m...sor..y..." Luffy managed and drifted out again.

Zoro watched Luffy slip back into a deep sleep before looking up at the sniper.

"Stay," he said, his own voice hoarse from battle. "Stay right here. Wait until he wakes up."

Usopp shook his head and went to move away, but the swordsman grabbed at his wrist.

"He came for Robin, but he came for you, too. He wanted to know that you were okay, at least."

Looking from Zoro to the battered body laid across his lap, Usopp was not really sure what to think or say. They were so angry before, and they had hurt each other so much. As Sogeking, he could almost pretend that things were normal, if only slightly and for a little while. But to know that Luffy still worried, that he had still cared somewhat...

_Have faith in Luffy_, he had said to Robin on Puffing Tom. He also said that a pirate could not leave the crew without the captain's permission. He learned that lesson hard and well himself, and thinking back now...

Usopp wondered if it really had to be done. Luffy had been so angry and had fought back hard. Luffy did not want to lose, and he knew he would not, but in the end he still let Usopp go... because he knew that Usopp _wanted_ to go...

In the end, Luffy still cared. And inside, Usopp knew that a piece of him still cared.

As Zoro's hand slipped from his wrist, he used his hand to pick up Luffy's, holding it gently.

"They... they destroyed _Merry_..."

"We have to find a new home, anyway," Zoro murmured quietly, watching Luffy sleep. He turned his dark eyes upon the sniper. "But what is home without _nakama_?"

Eyes stinging, Usopp took a deep breath and sighed. "But will he take me home with you all...?"

Under Usopp's palm, he felt Luffy's hand stir, weakly attempting to hold his hand in return. Zoro put his broader hand over them both.

"I think he wanted Sogeking to join, but..." the swordsman smirked. "Stay here, until he wakes up, and ask him yourself."

_- owari -  
_


	5. I Don't Get It : nakamaship

**Title:** I Don't Get It  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** None? Mebbe ZoLu if you really really squint.  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 165  
**Warnings:** Stupid.  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending.  
**A/N:** I fail. Seriously. Written for **onepieceyaoi100**'s topic _women_... I'm sorry in advance that it sucks. But I am under the suspicion that all the women really love Luffy. And Chopper.

**I Don't Get It**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Luffy was sitting on the rail of the ship when Zoro and Usopp found him.

"I don't get it," he said, his head tilted in confusion.

When his nakama asked what it was that he did not understand, Luffy pointed to Sanji and the thousands of women that constantly rejected him as he waded through the crowd in the market.

Zoro laughed. Usopp decided an experiment must be made, and he armed Luffy with the cheesiest line he could think of before sending his captain out into the same crowd.

Stopping the first pretty lady he came across, Luffy made his move.

"Something tells me you're sweet. Can I have a taste?"

It was then that Zoro was leaping over the rail onto the dock, fuming over how that damn woman was taking off with his captain.

Usopp just crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head in confusion. He felt sorry for Sanji, because, like Luffy, he did not get it either.

_- owari -  
_


	6. Rain, Bringer of Life : PellChaka genfic

**Title:** Rain, Bringer of Life  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** Pell + Chaka  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 290  
**Warnings:** Spoilers for the end of the Alabasta arc?  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending. They belong to Odachi, who I love more and more with each chapter episode day. :D  
**A/N:** For dearest **disutansu**-chwan, on the event of her, too, falling in love with Pell. Also for **joshuaglass**, another fellow Pell-lover, in hopes that she feels better soon! I'm not used to writing these two characters, so I probably have them extremely OOC, and I apologize. I should go back through the Alabasta arc one day to get a better feeling of them, if only because I would love to write about them more. Inspired by this week's topic at **onepieceyaoi100**: _music_.

**Rain, Bringer of Life**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

It was raining again. After so long without it, it had become the most beautiful thing to the people of Alabasta. Such a wonderful thing, in fact, the people of Alburna were out in the streets singing and dancing. Restoration was still in process, true, but the rain brought precious time for rejoicing.

Pell felt like a child again, seeing the townspeople playing in the rain. A faint smile haunted his dark lips as he watched over the people from his window. He wanted to join them just once, to feel the relief and the hope with them. He wanted to, but really--

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Chaka asked from the doorway.

"Ah, yes... of course," Pell sighed, turning away from the joy outside. He stood slowly, not wanting to return to bed. He'd lain there much too often of late. The aches were gone and the wounds healed, and he did not feel the need to lay around any further.

He really wanted to be outside... in the rain. In the music and dancing, hope and life.

He looked to the window once more and smiled. He was not on duty, nor was Chaka. If either of them gained a cold from this, well, then they would just suffer through it like the rest of the townspeople. If Pell let a moment like this go to waste, his inner child would never forgive him.

Grabbing Chaka's hand, Pell all but hauled him through the doors to the balcony, where the rain fell in heavy, fat drops upon their heads. It took a bit of encouraging for Chaka to join in, but soon they both were laughing and dancing together with the music, the pitter-patter of rain keeping time.

_- owari -  
_


	7. Keep Them Together : ZoLu, shounen ai

**Title:** Keep Them Together  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** ZoLu  
**Rating:** sickeningly G  
**Word Count:** 445  
**Warnings:** Gratuitous fluff. It was supposed to be angst, but GRAH! Effing fluff.  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending. Oda's so much better at this than I am. D:  
**A/N:** For **101kisses** theme #46: _Loneliness_. This is a modern AU school story-like thing.

**Keep Them Together**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Luffy was pouting as he exited the school building for the afternoon. Tired and a little mopey, he made his way over to the tree where Zoro normally waited for him.

"Got all your homework?" Zoro asked from where he leaned against the tall oak. Luffy only nodded in response as Zoro hefted his own backpack onto his shoulder.

"What's wrong with your face? You sad?"

Luffy tugged the necktie of his school uniform loose. "I didn't see Zoro all day. Not at lunch, not in the hallways..." It was impossible for Luffy to pout any more.

"You're seeing me now," Zoro supplied with a little shrug.

"But it's not the same," countered Luffy's little whine. "I saw you between every class last year. And we had lunch together. You _fed_ me, Zoro."

Zoro chuckled. "Yeah, I did."

"But you can't anymore..." Luffy whimpered as he hung his head, watching the pavement pass under his feet.

"How 'bout tomorrow? We'll have lunch tomorrow."

"But your classes-"

"My classes are fine. Sorta. I have your lunch period, anyway."

"REALLY?" Luffy stopped in his tracks to stare open mouthed at the other boy. "... But why weren't you there today?" he finally asked.

"Uh... Well, I had, um... lunch detention," Zoro coughed.

"Already?" asked Luffy incredulously. "It's only the first day of school!"

"Yeah, I know," Zoro grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "I was just late for biology, was all. Uh... by fifteen minutes..."

"Zoro!" Luffy laughed. "They're gonna fail you again! Did you get lost?"

"I know! I know! And yeah, I did get lost. They moved the science department to the other end of the building, and I had no idea 'cause I've already lost my stupid schedule. I didn't even know I was in the wrong class until Mr. Nefertari walked in and started teaching government."

"You're lucky Mr. Monblanc only gave you lunch detention," Luffy said, poking Zoro in the arm. "He could have given you after school detention, and you couldn't tell me, and I could be waiting for you forever by the tree."

They had reached Luffy's house and Zoro walked Luffy to the door.

"I would have gotten to you somehow," Zoro smiled at the other boy, giving Luffy a little goodbye kiss.

Zoro started back down the sidewalk to finish his own trek home when Luffy called out to him.

"If you can remember your schedule, email it to me! I'll try to see if we pass each other in the halls!"

Giving a nod and a wave, Zoro smiled to himself as he continued on. Leave it to Luffy to find a way to keep them together.

_- owari -  
_


	8. Perks of Being Captain : LuZo, yaoi

**Title:** Perks of Being Captain  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** LuZo  
**Rating:** PG13  
**Word Count:** 116  
**Warnings:** Implied m/m relations, as well as other things Luffy probably likes to do around deck.  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending. Luffy and Zoro would be nekkid all the time if I owned them.  
**A/N:** For **dethorats**, and her request of LuZo and "Captain's prerogative". I was actually working on something longer, but my brain fails me for now. I shall continue the other at a later point. Though it fails (and I apologize deeply for that), please have this instead.

**Perks of Being Captain**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Being the captain, Luffy felt he had certain inalienable rights. Like claiming the ram's head as his personal seat. Pissing off the side of the ship. Not having to take a bath. Running around naked. And getting into the pants of whoever of the crew he wanted.

"LUFFY?! Do you know what the hell time it is?"

Whenever he wanted.

"The hell?! We can't do this here! Someone will see!"

No matter how much they protested.

"Get your hands out of my-! Ah! Oh! ... okay, okay, Captain. Just hurry the hell up, though. I don't want the pansy cook seeing this."

Being the first mate, Zoro just had to suffer with being his captain's first choice.

_- owari -  
_


	9. The Words He Needs : Paulie, genfic

**Title:** The Words He Needs  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** Gen... involving Paulie and Lucci  
**Rating:** PG13  
**Word Count:** 127  
**Warnings:** Potty language. Water 7 spoilers.  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending. Oda rocks the house dope.  
**A/N:** For **onepieceyaoi100**'s topic of _black_. I wanted to do some Water 7 stuff, since I've yet to give it a try.

**The Words He Needs**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Sure, they fought. Fought a lot. Over stupid shit. Like his gambling problem. But he never thought they would have to fight like this. Back then, they were friends, family. Or, at least he thought they were.

Fuck, what the hell were they now? Enemies just wasn't a strong enough word. What the fuck do you call a black-hearted bastard that tried to kill the person a whole island looks up to?

Paulie looked to the faces of the Strawhats and the Franky Family. The rage and determination radiated like a wild fire streaking through the pitch-black storm of the Aqua Laguna. As Paulie himself looked back out at the dark clouds, he knew just the words he was looking for.

"Lucci's a dead man."

_- owari -  
_


	10. Their Usual State : AU genfic

**Title:** Their Usual State  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** None. Nakamaship.  
**Rating:** G...  
**Word Count:** 390  
**Warnings:** Sanji's use of the word _asshat_...? AU  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending. I wish they were real.  
**A/N:** Just wanted to do a little nakama-ness. The setting is a modern AU, I guess. It was inspired by my attempt to burn macaroni and cheese in the microwave. Sadly, I failed.

**Their Usual State**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

Sanji entered the apartment, armed with shopping bags, when he stopped and sniffed the air. Something had been burning. It was oddly quiet, save for crunching coming from across the room.

He turned his attention to the living room sofa and the two inhabiting it. They both had paper plates in hand and forks moving at a blindly furious rate as they stared at the quietly playing television.

"Oi, what the hell are you two asshats eating?" Sanji demanded.

"Burnt macaroni and cheese," Zoro muttered between wolfing down crunchy bites, his eyes never leaving the motocross game on the screen.

"Leftovers are good like that," Luffy added, continuing to shovel the charred food inward.

Sanji moved to the kitchen, arms still full, to make sure that his kitchen was still there. Oddly enough, everything seemed fine, save for one very scorched pan soaking in the sink.

"I made sure they didn't destroy the place," Usopp pipped up from his little spot in the corner of the dinning room, where he was aimlessly sketching in a little notebook.

"Uh, thanks," Sanji said slowly.

"Need help with your stuff," Usopp asked, gesturing towards the bags he was carrying.

"No, I'm fine," the blond said cautiously before heading down the hall.

Maybe it was him, but everything was slightly off the moment he walked in the door.

Sanji was in the middle of removing sales tags from the shirts he bought when heard Luffy's yell for seconds. It was soon followed by loud banging in the kitchen and Zoro's laughter. Usopp seemed to be attempting to comment when all three burst into laughter. The television was turned up, presumably so it would be heard in the kitchen over the ruckus going on inside it.

By the time Sanji sauntered out of his room, his clothes having been de-tagged and placed in the laundry, the damage was done.

The kitchen was now a disaster area. All three of the boys were working on eating an odd assortment of food that combined both leftovers and the ingredients Sanji was saving for preparing dinner. The television was blaring and they were talking louder to hear each other over it.

As Sanji started to curse and demand the bastards to clean up their mess, he was actually quite glad things were back to their usual state.

_- owari -  
_


	11. Luffy's Birthday Present : ZoLu, yaoi

Did a spur of the moment drabble to Digital Dreamer's fanart for Luffy's birthday (http / community. livejournal. com / luffyzoro yaoi / 101956. html)!  
**Rating around... oh... PG13 to slightly R-ish...?**

**A Present for Luffy's Birthday  
by Chibimono Akuno **

"Spanking?" Luffy asked, turning a confused expression on his first mate.

Zoro just continued to give his most devious grin.

"But... but... but I've been _good_!" Luffy pouted unexpectedly. "I took my bath when I was told. I've been chewing my food with my mouth closed. I've been keeping my area of the bunk room clean. I haven't shirked my dish duties lately. I've even kicked some serious bad-guy butt."

"Wha?" Zoro frowned, feeling knocked off guard by the sudden list Luffy was pointing out.

"Why... why do I have to get a spanking? And why on my birthday?" the birthday boy in question questioned, his pout becoming more miserable by the moment.

Zoro was at a loss. He looked at the little paddle he had picked up a few ports back. "It's... tradition? Ah, look. I'm not gonna hurt you, okay? Just a few little pats for however old you are, and a pinch so you can grow some, and... and yeah..."

"How can you spank someone and it not hurt?" Luffy pondered. "You wouldn't know not to do bad stuff again if it didn't hurt. That's what Makino said."

Okay. Now this was heading down an awkward path that the swordsman was not sure he wanted to head down. "Nevermind," he said to his captain, tucking the paddle into his haramaki.

It was like something had dawned in Luffy's brain all of a sudden as his fist landed on the flat of his other hand. "If it's a spanking for your birthday, then somehow it's good, right? Like a present?" With a sure nod, Luffy smiled widely at his first mate.

"I want your mystery spankings, Zoro."

"Want my..? Mystery? Spankin-er, what?!" Zoro grappled, not quite up to speed with his captain's logic just yet. However, he did not have the chance to catch up at all mentally as Luffy went ahead and dropped his pants.

The boy leaned against the ship's railing and displayed his bottom proudly. "Okay! I'm ready!" he crowed.

But there was a thud, and Luffy was scrambling to pull up his pants as he went to his knees at his first mate's side, trying to stave off the sudden bleeding of the unconscious man's nose.

_- owari -_

Happy birthday, Luffy!


	12. Get Up : UsoZo nakamaship

**Title:** Get Up  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** Usopp + Zoro  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 149  
**Warnings:** None, really.  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending.  
**A/N:** For **dethorats**. Because.

**Get Up**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

"Get up."

He did not want to. His knees were shaking even as he was laid out on the hard, packed ground.

"Have to... get up."

It hurt too much. And really, he could lie to himself that the pain was enough to pass out over, and he could just lay there.

"Get up..."

His hands were a mangled, broken mess. There was no way he could draw his slingshot now. He was useless. He could not fight anymore.

"Get... up..."

He opened his eyes and looked to the commanding voice near him. He had seen blood and gore before, especially with the gaping wounds covering the swordsman, but he had never seen him like this.

Usopp had to get up, because Zoro could not no matter how much he kept telling himself that he should. Usopp had to get up, because he was the only one that could.

_- owari -_


	13. He Found : SanLu nakamaship

Inspired by **kanthia**'s drabble and poem.

**Title:** He Found  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** Sanji+Luffy nakamaship  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 158  
**Warnings:** None...  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending.  
**A/N:** The way I always thought Sanji would end up finding All Blue.

**He Found**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

He hauled Luffy to the surface, the boy clinging to him weakly, choking and spitting up water. The captain let loose a miserable whine and dropped his head to Sanji's shoulder.

"Don't get comfortable," he was going to say, but it never reached his lips.

Because he found a fish pass by that he had never seen before. And then a few he had seen in East Blue. And then a whole school that he had only seen once before in a book about South Blue. And here he was, treading water in the Grand Line.

Sanji hugged his hapless captain just then, as tight as he could, for falling from the deck rails. Luffy only wheezed and muttered about being dry as a response.

So Sanji allowed him his wish, taking him back aboard their ship in a soaked boneless heap, before diving back in to the serene waters they would have just sailed on through otherwise.

_- owari -_


	14. Thread Holding the Button Fast : ZoLu

**Title:** Thread Holding the Button Fast  
**Author:** Chibimono Akuno  
**Fandom:** One Piece  
**Pairing:** Zoro x Luffy :3  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 579  
**Warnings:** Fluff. And again with red thread. I've already used that theme before.  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Just pretending. Odachi is god.  
**A/N:** For **101kisses**, theme #20: _A bit of colour_.

**Thread Holding the Button Fast**  
_by Chibimono Akuno_

With great concentration and skill, the wet tip of a red thread slipped easily through the itty bitty slit of a tiny silver pokey-thing. Luffy added the little pokey-thing to the list of sharp objects that Zoro could handle excellently. That put the list to a grand total of four now, but that was still impressive in the captain's eyes. After all, there was no way in all the Grand Line that he would be able to get the thread through the teeny tiny hole. But it was awesome watching Zoro do it, because he got it right every time.

"And just what in the hell are you two shitheads doing with Nami-san's sewing kit?" demanded a growl behind the captain and his first mate.

"Hi, Sanji! Is dinner ready? I'm hungry!" Luffy smiled with a wave. He received a kick to the head.

"You didn't answer my question, idiot!"

Luffy whined and rubbed his head. "Mou... But you didn't answer mine, either..."

"Luffy lost a button," Zoro said without looking up from his task. "I'm putting it back on his shirt." The shirt-less rubber boy nodded in emphasis. "Besides, this is actually my needle, and my spool of red thread."

"My my, a man that sews," Robin smiled as she stepped up along side the three, ignoring the cook's swooning to talk to her captain. "Such a becoming trait, wouldn't you agree, Sencho-san?"

"I just like it that Zoro puts my buttons back on," Luffy smiled. "He does it fast, and he puts it on just right, and then I'm ready to go. Ever since we left Coby behind."

"That's when I got it," Zoro grinned, gesturing with a nod towards the half-used spool.

Sanji let out a slow cloud of smoke. "So, you working towards being Luffy's wife or something?" Zoro reached out with the needle to poke the cook in the leg.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt you to learn to sew," Zoro growled as he knotted the thread on Luffy's shirt. "I'd think it would be embarrassing to have the harpy mend my shitty socks."

Color flushed Sanji's face as he sputtered, then growled. "She-! You-! It's out of love! Nami-swan does for me out of love!"

Robin only tittered behind a delicate hand.

"Yeah, uh-huh," Zoro laid down the sarcasm as he twisted the red thread around his pinky finger before bitting it free with his teeth. "Now are you done running your mouth? Because Luffy's 'bout to get his shirt back and you know the first thing he's gonna want."

"FOOD!" Luffy cheered, as if the cook did not already know.

"Yes, cook-san," Robin smiled as she linked her arm with Sanji and turned him towards the galley before an argument could really begin. "And I would like a cup of coffee at the moment, myself."

Testing the strength of the thread holding the button fast, Zoro seemed pleased with his work and gave it a nod. He held it out to his captain and let the boy shrug it on and button it up.

"Good as new!" Luffy smiled, patting the button where it sat against his chest. He leaned in to give the swordsman a quick, chaste peck on the cheek. "Thanks, Zoro!" And he was off in the direction of the galley as well.

Zoro picked up his spool and slipped his needle in among the red threads.

"No problem, Captain."

_- owari -_


End file.
